THERE IS NO denying food preparation plays a particularly crucial role in people’s lives and interactions. Aside from being an inescapable, everyday task, the act of making a meal can carry powerful significance. Offerings of
hospitality are frequently made in the form of a freshly prepared feast, as are gestures of appreciation and goodwill. During the holiday season, it becomes especially evident that cooking is part of the way in which people celebrate. Whether honoring Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa this winter, many families will partake in the festivities by gathering together around the
dinner table. Cooking and eating, simply put, are more than biological requirements. They are activities that define the way people live.
Given the special symbolism of culinary activities, it only stands to reason the tools used to prepare food can resonate with people in a unique way. By taking advantage of kitchenware as a powerful
promotion, distributors can leverage these associations for big payoffs in brand recognition down the line. “[Kitchen products] connect with people in their homes,” suggested Dan Kielman, sales
manager at American Made Cutlery, Waverly, Iowa. “People love the products and, because they love the products, it creates goodwill for the giver.”
A LONG TIME COMING
Humans have been mixing, heating and manipulating their food for millennia, with the trend showing no signs of possible extinction. Bob Lipic, president of Diversified-Adtee, Normal, Ill., maintained this type of utility is the greatest asset of kitchen products, providing the potential for frequent use and high retention. “If you ask the one in the household who does the cooking, [he or she] will tell you that they never throw a kitchen product away,” Lipic suggested. “That’s because of the utility factor inherent in this type of product.”
Whereas fad and novelty items often are discarded or forgotten in a short period of time, kitchenware maintains exposure. As noted by Lipic, “[Kitchen products] are different from other gimmick items … [they aren’t] given away and
forever lost in a
desk drawer.”
Another factor making kitchenware a long-term means of promotion is its ability to amass over the course of several months or years. “One of the neat things about our line,” explained Kielman, “is the opportunity for continuity. … One year you can give a paring knife, and the next year you can follow it up with a steak knife. Each new gift reinforces the last one and adds to the collection.” Furthermore, this strategy of continuity can be implemented with both individual kitchen items and packaged gift sets. In both cases, the result is a promotion that leaves a lasting impression.
YOU GOTTA EAT
Since eating is a fundamental human need, the market for kitchen products is particularly broad. Kielman noted the applicability of promotional kitchenware is not limited to any particular type of company, but rather pertains to “anyone that wants to give a nice gift.” As is outlined in his company’s “Salesperson’s Guide,” distributors selling kitchenware should consider a wide variety of businesses and organizations ranging from banks, credit unions and mortgage companies to hospitals, realtors and nonprofit groups. For purposes of promotion, kitchen products can be profitable in
virtually any market and for nearly any organization.
Considering a few instances of end-buyers who have successfully utilized kitchen products demonstrates this versatility. One such example, revealed Kielman, “is a bank that gave serrated pie servers to their customers as a thank-you gift with the imprint ‘Serving Your Banking Needs.’” Another, he noted, “is a church media company that gave gift sets to customers after the holidays.” These diverse examples demonstrate the ways in which kitchen products can act as appropriate gifts regardless of the end-buyer’s business.
HARNESS THE MEAL
Whether offering a thoughtful gesture, partaking in celebrations or merely creating their daily meals, people are sure to be engaging in food preparation all year long. By selling the kitchen products that aid in these situations, distributors ensure they are always invited to dinner.